Divine Glory Displayed

John 1:14-18

 

INTRO: The focus of John 1:14-18 is the incarnation of Jesus Christ: “the Word was made flesh.”  The incarnation of Christ is the greatest expression of God’s love and grace; for without the birth of Christ there could have been no crucifixion and that would mean no atonement for sin.  This love is brought into focus when we read verses 10 and 11 and see that Jesus descended into an unappreciative world.

 

I.        VS 14, “THE WORD. . . . MADE FLESH.”

A.       “The Word was made flesh.”

1. When Jesus became flesh, He did not cease to be what He was before.

a. He did not lay aside His deity when He became flesh.

b. Jesus is perfect in His manhood and He is perfect in His Godhead.

2. God the Son became flesh to save sinners (LK 19:10).  He became flesh like us, yet He never sinned.  Like us:

a. He was born of a woman– the virgin birth (Gal 4:4-5).

b. He grew up as we do from infancy, boyhood, to manhood.

c. He hungered, thirsted, ate, drunk, was wearied, slept, hurt, cried, rejoiced, became angry, and showed compassion.  He became poor so we could be rich (2 Cor. 8:9).  He came to where we are so we could go to where He is.

3. Jesus in a real body like ours was beaten and mocked.  In a real body, He wore the crown of thorns.  Jesus really shed His blood, died, was buried, and rose again.  It was in a real body that Jesus met with His disciples after the resurrection (Lk 24:39-43).  In a real body, Jesus ascended into heaven.  In all of this, He was God as well as man.  J. C. Ryle says: “...to say that at any instant of His earthly ministry He was not fully and entirely God, is nothing less than heresy” (27).

B.       “. . . . and dwelt among us.”

1. The Greek word translated “dwelt” means to pitch a tent.  A tent is a temporary dwelling.  Jesus temporarily dwelt among men.  For thirty-three years God himself lived in our very midst.  “For thirty-three years God moved in and lived right here with us, understanding, bleeding, loving, living, agonizing, hurting, caring, and dying” (Draper 83).

2. Because He “dwelt among us,” He is touched by our infirmities (Heb 4:15).

3. Because He “dwelt among us,” we can go to heaven.

4. Because He “dwelt among us,” we have an example to follow in daily life.

a. He did not walk among us as a spirit or an angel.  He walked among us in the flesh as the perfect God man.

b. We are to follow in His steps (I Pet 2:21).

C.      “And we beheld His glory.”

1. In the Green language, the word “beheld” means to see with the physical eyes and goes beyond that t mean seeing through spiritual eyes.

2. John and the other disciples beheld the sinless life of Christ as he walked among men.  They saw Him perform miracles such as turning the water to sine and lifting the dead.  The disciples looked upon the personal perfection of Christ.

3. The Roman centurion who stood by the cross of Christ and watched Jesus as He died beheld Him physically and then spiritually.  He had seen many men die.  He had heard their cursing.  As he beheld Jesus, he heard no words of cursing instead he heard Jesus as He said: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:24).  Then as the earth began to quake the thunder rolled, the lightening flashed, and graves opened, the battle hardened Roman centurion fell on his knees and cried out: “Truly this was the Son of God !” (Mt 27:54).

4. Those who trust Jesus as Savior, see Him through spiritual eyes; they behold His glory, “the glory as of the only begotten of the Father......”

a. We see the glory of His grace.

b. We see the glory of His mercy.

c. As we read our Bibles, we see the glory of His attributes and His creation.

D.      “Full of grace and truth.”

1. Jesus is “full of grace....”

a. Full of grace to save the lost (Eph 2:8-9).

b. Full of grace to meet the trials of life (I Pet 1:6; 4:10).

2. Full of truth– if you want the truth, go to Jesus (Jn 14:6).

3. Christ is rich in grace (Eph. 1:7;2:5).

 

II.       VS 15, THE TESTIMONY OF THE BAPTIST

A.       John bare witness of Jesus.

1. This is the job of every preacher– to tell folks about Jesus.

2. The preacher is to be like the moon reflecting the light of the sun.

B.       “Preferred before” is a phrase speaking of rank and importance.  John was saying, “Jesus ranks ahead of me.”

1. Jesus is infinite; John finite.

2. Jesus is eternal; John temporal.

3. Jesus is the true light; John the reflector.

4. John says look to Jesus!

C.      “He was before me.”

1. On the road of life, John was before Jesus.    In birth and in ministry, John came first.

2. “Was before” refers to the eternal existence of Christ.

 

III.      VSS 16-18, GRACE PROVIDED BY THE SON OF GOD

A.       Vs 16, What is the fullness that we have received?

1. “Fullness” points to the absolute Deity of Christ.  The same word is used in Col 1:19 and Col 2:9.

2. Out of this fullness have all believers received.

a. We receive from Christ life (Jn 10:28).

b. We receive from Christ peace (Jn 14:27).

c. We receive joy from Christ (Jn 15:11).

d. From God’s great treasure chest, believers receive all that they will ever need.

3. “And grace for grace.”

a. Grace upon grace.

b. “God’s favors heaped up, on upon another” (Pink 43).  Grace continuous, grace uninterrupted.

c. Grace to supply every need.

 

B.       Vs 17, The law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

1. The law was given by Moses.

a. The law reveals man’s lost condition.

b. The law foreshadowed deliverance but did not give deliverance.